macular specialist

Age-related macular degeneration is a condition in which the macula, the small part in the middle of your retina, deteriorates. It is the result of the aging process itself, rather than external factors, and while not everyone gets it, everyone after the age of 40 may develop it. For this reason, we at The Retina Group of Washington strongly urge you to get a yearly screening once you turn 40. And if you are diagnosed with it, you should depend on our Falls Church macular specialist for the expert treatment and management of the disease.

First, the bad news. There is no cure for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The good news is that it will not cause complete blindness. Instead, it erodes your vision in the center of your visual field, eventuality leaving you with only vision on the sides. In addition to age, there are risk factors that can make it more likely you will get AMD. Heredity is one, which there is nothing you can do about, of course. Others like smoking, obesity, high cholesterol, and hypertension can be affected for the better. It is true that women develop AMD more than men do, and for reasons that are not quite clear. Also, lighter skin and eyes tend to be associated with greater propensity for AMD. In addition to annual testing, be sure to see our Falls Church macular specialist right away if you notice any of the following indications: distorted vision with blind spots within the middle of your visual field, and straight lines appearing wavy. State-of-the-art testing includes finding any evidence of drusen, a yellow deposit that may appear in your macula.

Although there is no cure for AMD, our Falls Church macular specialist can help you to retain maximum vision and make the most of it for the long term with various methods. Please call our office and let us schedule an appointment for you to come in.

If you ever experience a vision problem involving the retina, you will want to come to see us at The Retina Group of Washington. At our vision practice, patients are able to receive many different types of Alexandria retina surgery to help preserve and restore their vision.

Our retina care practice has long been known as a leader in the treatment of all types of retinal diseases in both adults and children. We have over 25 experts on staff who all specialize in different areas of retinal care. Our doctors will often consult one another when they have a particular case, or a patient needs a rarer type of Alexandria retina surgery. When you are seeing one of our retina specialist, you are in effect being seen by all of our doctor’s. We have many offices in and around the Washington DC area. Our offices are associated with almost all nearby locations where retinal surgery is performed. Additionally, many eye treatments can be performed at our local offices. If you have a vision problem that shows a sudden increase in the number of floaters and sudden flashes of light, you may have a retinal tear which can lead to a retinal detachment. A retinal detachment is a situation that needs to be repaired surgically by our retina specialist. Depending on different aspects of your retinal problem, different types of surgical treatments may be recommended. One common treatment for retinal detachment is scleral buckle surgery, which will close breaks in the retina. This operation is usually performed as outpatient surgery, and does not require an overnight hospital stay. We also offer different types of innovative surgeries to treat specific vision problems. CentraSight treatment uses a tiny telescope which is implanted inside the eye and will improve vision for individuals affected by end-stage age-related macular degeneration. Whatever type of eye surgery you need, you can be sure that you cannot receive better treatment than you will at The Retina Group of Washington.

Macular degeneration is a serious disease. It can strike anyone, but mostly patients over the age of 55 have a higher risk for macular degeneration. The Retina Group of Washington specializes in treating retinal disorders and problems. We treat macular degeneration before it gets worse.

The biggest risk factor for macular degeneration is age. Those over the age of 55 are at a higher risk, and risk increases as people age. Other risk factors include smoking, which doubles the risk of AMD, race and genetics. Those with a family history are more likely to get AMD, and those who are caucasian are more at risk for developing the disease than hispanics, Latinos or African-Americans. As of right now there is no known cure for macular degeneration. Quitting smoking, starting to exercise and eat a healthy diet and protecting eyes from UV rays all go a long way in preventing AMD. Our macular specialist in Falls Church can tell you more about AMD and the different kinds. Dry AMD is different from regular AMD.

Macular degeneration affects central vision, which is used for reading or driving. If not treated properly, macular degeneration may cause vision loss and even blindness. There are different types of macular degeneration, such as age related macular degeneration and dry AMD. Other conditions, like retinal detachment, need specialists like our macular specialist in Falls Church to treat them. Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss, affecting more than 10 million Americans. That’s more than cataracts and glaucoma combined. Macular Degeneration deteriorates the central portion of the retina, which is the inside back layer of the eye that records the images we see. These images are sent by the optic nerve from the eye to the brain. The retina’s central portion is known as the macula. It is responsible for focusing central vision in the eye, and it controls our ability to read, drive and see objects in fine detail.

The macula is located inside the retina. It’s small and at the center. And when it comes to your eye health and vision, it is indispensable. At The Retina Group of Washington, our macular specialist in Falls Church will diagnose, evaluate, and treat diseases that affect this tiny and essential part of your retina.

The most common issue that comes up with the macular is that it is subject to degeneration, either due to nearsightedness or as the result of the aging process. Myopic macular degeneration is the one in which being nearsighted is responsible. Of course, there is nothing you can do to prevent being nearsighted. It is typically hereditary, and your likelihood of getting it is even greater if both your parents had it. There is both dry and wet macular degeneration, and the dry type makes up the vast majority of cases. Unfortunately, it is not curable, but positive results can be derived from surgery, if you’re considered a good candidate for it. For the wet variety, our macular specialist in Falls Church can offer intraocular injections as an effective treatment. Myopic macular degeneration can strike as early as your 30s. On the other hand, age-related macular degeneration becomes a concern at age 40, and is most common from age 60 and up. Again, the dry version of it cannot be reversed or cured, but can be managed with a combination of methods that may include vitamin supplements and lifestyle changes. Treatments are available for wet age-related macular degeneration.

What is of most importance for any macular disease is that it is diagnosed early, which is closely linked to better outcomes. And since there are no symptoms until the disease has progressed to an advanced stage, it is vital to be tested with a complete exam once per year. Call our office to schedule yours.

At The Retina Group of Washington, our macula specialist in Alexandria is part of a practice that is one of the most respected retinal and macular offices in the United States. We engage in the latest in cutting-edge research and also provide a Fellowship program to help train ophthalmologists who are learning. All of our doctors are experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of many macular and retinal disorders, maintaining the highest levels of certification. This helps us to remain at the forefront of retinal and macular medicine.

Our macular specialist in Alexandria specializes in disorders and conditions of the eye such as macular puckers and macular holes. The macula is the area of the retina, which subsides in the back of the eye, and is responsible for fine central vision. It allows us to see small words and details that are tiny or farther from our eyes. Diseases of the macular happen sometimes such as a condition called a macular pucker, a clear tissue that grows over the macula. Many times this condition has no symptoms but is instead found during a routine exam. Or the membranes may contract on the macula’s surface, causing retinal distortion and poor central vision. A macular hole, on the other hand, is a loss of tissue that can happen in the central retina, either fully or partially. This can lead to permanent vision loss.

Causes of these two conditions are usually because of retinal shrinkage. When the retina shrinks it has a tendency to leave behind a membrane. This membrane can create a hole. Age, eye trauma, eye surgery and inflammatory conditions can cause this problem. Symptoms include blurry vision, wavy or distorted vision, central vision blurring or black spots missing in vision. Difficulty reading can also happen with this condition. Our macular specialist in Alexandria can best diagnose and subsequently treat this debilitating condition. We may perform a dilated retinal exam or a test called an optical coherence tomography. This test is non-invasive and designed to detect macular puckers and holes. Treatment options include surgery or a procedure called a gas bubble treatment.

Think about how deeply you depend on your eyes and your vision each day. How would you drive, read, work, and manage all of the other important activities of your day without your eyes functioning properly? Many of us take our eye health and vision for granted, not realizing that we should be taking certain measures in order to keep our eyes and vision in good shape for the future. If you have an eye and retina disease, like macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, or retinal vein occlusion, one of the best ways to preserve your vision and keep your eyes in the best health possible is to visit a macular specialist in Alexandria at The Retina Group of Washington.

The Retina Group of Washington (RGW) is the largest and one of the most accomplished retinal and macular care practices in the country, offering the most sophisticated medical treatment and surgical management of adult retinal diseases. Our macular specialists in Alexandria can diagnose and treat a wide range of retinal and macular diseases. Age-related macular degeneration, for example, is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50 years of age in the United States, and is just one of the many conditions our highly trained physicians can provide adult retina care for. No matter how common a clinical condition may be, we approach each patient with the same problem-solving perspective and provide the highest level of individual attention and compassionate care. During your retina care, we will be able to offer you the latest diagnostic services to accurately diagnose and evaluate your retinal condition. This includes digital fundus (retinal) photography, fluorescein angiography, digital high-speed indocyanine green (ICG) angiography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), as well as b-scan ultrasonography. RGW’s collective experience and expertise is unsurpassed; our physicians have been innovators in the treatment of adults with retinal disease in the Washington metropolitan area since the 1970’s.Our breadth of experience and collective expertise allow us to utilize the latest medical knowledge and treatment techniques appropriate for each situation.

It is the mission of The Retina Group of Washington to preserve, restore, and enhance your vision. If you desire clear, comfortable vision and have an eye or retina disease, then selecting an eye care practice with the best eye doctors, eye surgeons, and macular specialist in Alexandria may be the solution you’ve been looking for. Healthy eyes and a healthy body go hand in hand. Call our office today for further information regarding eye surgery, or to schedule a consultation with one of our ophthalmologists.

Are you looking for an experienced eye doctor who can assess the health of your eye’s macula and retina? Our practice, The Retina Group of Washington, is one of the largest and most esteemed macular and retinal practices in the United States. Our 24 eye doctors and surgeons have a wealth of collective knowledge and sub-specialty expertise. When you need to see an Alexandria macular specialist, you will want to visit one of our local offices of The Retina Group of Washington.

At our practice, we enjoy having 26 of the leading eye doctors and eye surgeons on our staff. When you want to see an Alexandria macular specialist you should make an appointment to see one of our local Alexandria eye doctors. They are: Dr. Gordon A. Byrnes; Dr. William F. Deegan III; Dr. Reshma C. Katira; Dr. Geoffrey R. Kaplan; Dr. Michael B. Rivers; Dr. Gayatri S. Reilly; Dr. T. Mark Johnson; Dr. Richard A. Garfinkel; Dr. William B. Phillips; and Dr. Michael S. Osman. Since all of our experts freely consult with associate doctors, when you see one of our fine doctors you are in effect gaining the expertise of each Alexandria macular specialist that we have on staff.

The Retina Group of Washington has been in existence for more than 30 years. We specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of macular and retinal diseases. Our office locations are smaller and located throughout the Greater DC area to provide a more comfortable and convenient experience for our patients. Many patients come to our practice for diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration. This is the leading cause of vision loss for people over sixty. If you would like to see a top Alexandria macular specialist, our office is the place to come to. This disease can led to central blindness. However, like many other eye diseases, it advances so slowly that patients affected by this disease do not really notice the changes in their vision. In some patients, the disease progresses faster, and can lead to vision loss. This is just one reason why it is so important to come in for comprehensive eye exams. When you have advanced age related macular degeneration in one eye, you are at very high risk for developing it in the other eye. If you would like to make an appointment to come and see one of our eye doctors, contact us.